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Inconsistencies in dealing with carbon flows in TRACI

Posted: 30 Mar 2016 16:30
by huguesit
Hi,

In the openLCA LCIA method package 1.5.4, there is an assumption that life cycle models can account for all carbon sinks and sources. There is therefore a characterization factor of -1 CO2e/kg for "Carbon dioxide, in air/resources/in air" and +1 for biogenic Carbon dioxide emissions.

HOWEVER: TRACI gives a factor of +1 for "Carbon dioxide, biogenic/air/x" and "Carbon dioxide, from soil or biomass stock/air/x", but does not have a corresponding "-1" "Carbon dioxide, in air/resources/in air".

In passing, there are these weird "Carbon dioxide, in air/air/all subcomp" flows that have CFs of +1. Do these really represent emissions? The "in air" suffix really seems to indicate that we are taking about a resource that has been categorized in the "air" compartment.

Regards,

Hugues

Re: Inconsistencies in dealing with carbon flows in TRACI

Posted: 28 Apr 2016 22:36
by pascal.lesage
Thanks for uncovering this.
Green Delta, are there any plans to put out a corrected TRACI version? Those who have read this post can go correct the method themselves, but it would be useful to provide a corrected copy to other users.

Re: Inconsistencies in dealing with carbon flows in TRACI

Posted: 29 Apr 2016 10:57
by aciroth
Hi Pascal,
yes we will include this correction in the next update.
Thanks for pointing to this Pascal!
Andreas